Where to Buy Second Hand Bikes in London?

My first “London” bike purchase was a second hand bike when I was a student. I saved a ton of money and bought a bike I would not have been able to afford first hand. The two problems I faced were making sure the bike is not stolen and getting a good deal.

Note: This is taken from the London Cyclist eBook: A guide to Cycling in London which is freely available to newsletter subscribers. Click here to find out more.

16 Responses to Where to Buy Second Hand Bikes in London?

I have never bought a second hand bike but have always where possible done a part ex with the bike shop I was buying the new bike from.
They would tell me what the cost of any repairs to it might cost and I usually got about £40 for the old bike and the person buying my old bike got a good deal on a fully serviced bike.
So a bike shop would be my advice to anyone thinking of getting a second hand bike.

Hi, I own a bike which has been used only a couple of times so its almost as good as new. There is a basket attached together with a chain & lock. Pls call or if you email me I can provide a picture of it.

If the bike is an old or vintage bike and the chain is rusty then replacing it might not be so cheap and easy. An old chain will wear down, and the cogs at the rear will wear down with it. This means a new chain will not match up to the gear teeth on the back and the chain will skip. This means that the cassette/freewheel and possible the whole back wheel will need replacing too.

To be honest, if a chain is that rusty, it means the bike has most likely been stored outside the majority of the time.